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  Waterloo

  Thomas E. Watson

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  Excerpt from Chapter One 
  In 1815 the Emperor was no longer a lean, sinewy, tireless, eternally vigilant human tiger—the Napoleon of Rivoli and Marengo. He was no longer the consummate General-in-Chief of Austerlitz and Wagram. The mysterious lethargy which had overwhelmed him at the critical hour of Borodino, when he withheld the order for the Old Guard to charge and convert the Russian defeat into a decisive disaster, had been the first visit of the Evil Genius which was to come again. The strange loss of the power to decide between two totally different lines of action, which, at the Château Düben had kept him idle two days, lolling on a sofa, or sitting at his writing-table tracing on the paper big school-boy letters, was to become a recurrent calamity, puzzling all who knew him, and paralyzing the action of his lieutenants in the most critical emergencies'. 
  At Leipsic the reins had fallen from his hands; only one permanent bridge over the deep river in his rear had been provided to let him out of the death trap; and when the strong currents of the rout tore through the frantic city, the great Napoleon drifted with the furious tide, whistling vacantly. 
  The same unexplainable eclipse of genius, which General E. P. Alexander described as occurring to Stonewall Jackson, in the Malvern Hill movements of our Civil War, happened to the French Emperor, time and again, after that first collapse at Borodino. 
  In Spain he ordered a madly reckless charge of his Polish Light Cavalry against the heights of Sommo Sierra, where the Spanish army was entrenched and where the position easily admitted of successful flanking, got his best troops wastefully butchered—and could not afterward remember who gave the order to charge! 
  In Dresden, in 1813, he had won a brilliant victory which needed only to be ruthlessly pushed; and he was pushing it with all his tremendous driving power when, in the twinkle of an eye, his Evil Genius descended upon him, took his strength away...

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  The Spice Ports - Mapping the...

  Nicholas Nugent

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  We may think of "globalism" as a recent development but its origins date back to the fifteenth century and beyond, when seafarers pioneered routes across the oceans with the objectives of exploration, trade, and profit. These voyages only became possible after certain technical innovations—improvements in ship design, compasses, and mapping—enabled navigation across unprecedented distances. The mariners' embarkation points were the vibrant ports of the West—Venice, Amsterdam, Lisbon—and their destinations the exotic ports of the East—Malacca, Goa, Bombay—where they tracked down the elusive spices, so much in demand by Western palates. 
   
   
   
  This development of maritime communication brought benefits apart from culinary delights: the spread of ideas on art, literature, and science. But it was not necessarily beneficial for everyone concerned: colonial ambitions were often disastrous for local populations, who were frequently exploited as slave plantation labor. 
   
   
   
  This wide-ranging account of a fascinating period of global history uses original maps and contemporary artists' views to tell the story of how each port developed individually while also encouraging us to consider contrasting points of view of the benefits and the damages of the maritime spice trade.

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  The History of France - From...

  Will Forrest

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  France, 1180 to 1600. A tale of power, intrigue, and change. Kings and queens ruled with ambition. Wars raged across the land. Culture flourished. Society evolved. 
  This book invites you into that world. Meet iconic figures like Joan of Arc, Catherine de Medici, and Louis XIV. Explore the Hundred Years' War, the French Renaissance, and religious upheavals. Witness Gothic cathedrals soar and châteaux grace the landscape.Unveil the lives of iconic historical figuresExplore monumental conflicts and cultural shiftsWitness the evolution of French society and architecture 
    
  Dive into the past. Unravel France's enthralling story. Be captivated, inspired, and educated. Join us on this unforgettable journey. Buy this book NOW!

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  Reclaiming Art in the Age of...

  J.F. Martel, Donna Tartt

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  A compelling call to rediscover the transformative power of art in an age of distraction, coercion, and spectacle – featuring an introduction from Pulitzer Prize–winning author Donna Tartt In Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice, J. F. Martel offers a compelling and incisive meditation on the nature of art in a world dominated by invasive media, rampant consumer culture, and artificial intelligence. Drawing on a wide range of examples, from Paleolithic cave art to contemporary cinema, Martel argues that true art reveals the unseen forces shaping our existence—forces that transcend politics, technology, and even culture. In contrast to artifice, which seeks to manipulate or distract, authentic art calls us back to the essence of things, opening “rifts” onto the sublime and the weird and reconnecting us with the radical mystery at the heart of the world.    Featuring an introduction by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Donna Tartt, this edition also includes a new afterword by the author, reflecting on the continued relevance of art in our increasingly mediated world.

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  Mythology and Symbolism -...

  Odessa Nightshade

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  Mythology has long served as a means for civilizations to interpret the world, explain natural phenomena, and pass down cultural values. At the heart of these ancient stories lies symbolism, a powerful tool that conveys deeper meanings beyond the literal narratives. Symbols in mythology are not just decorative elements but vessels of wisdom, embodying universal truths that transcend time and geography. Whether representing divine power, cosmic forces, or the human experience, these symbols continue to influence art, literature, and philosophy. Understanding them allows for a deeper appreciation of ancient myths and their lasting relevance.  
  Symbols in mythology often serve as bridges between the physical and spiritual worlds. Many ancient cultures used them to express concepts that were otherwise difficult to articulate. For example, the serpent appears in myths across civilizations, representing both wisdom and deception, life and death. The world tree, found in Norse, Mayan, and Hindu traditions, symbolizes the connection between heaven, earth, and the underworld. These recurring motifs highlight the shared human fascination with life’s mysteries and the interconnected nature of different belief systems.  
  The study of mythological symbols also sheds light on the values and priorities of ancient societies. A thunderbolt, wielded by gods such as Zeus and Indra, signifies divine authority and raw power, reflecting the belief in the supremacy of celestial forces. In contrast, sacred animals, such as the Egyptian scarab or the Greek owl, represent wisdom, transformation, or protection, illustrating how people sought guidance from the natural world. Ritual objects, from swords to chalices, often hold dual meanings, symbolizing both material and spiritual power. 

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  Shakespeare Without a Life

  Margreta de Grazia

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  A fascinating account of how Shakespeare's works were understood and valued by readers and writers from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century, before Shakespeare's biography came to dominate readings of his plays and poetry. 
   
   
   
  For almost two centuries after his death, Shakespeare had no biography. The makings of one were not available. No chronology had been devised by which to coordinate the events in his life with the writing of his works. Nor was there an archive of primary materials on which to base a life. And the only work by Shakespeare written in the first person, the Sonnets, had yet to be critically edited and incorporated into the canon. Without a biography, how could Shakespeare have been valued and understood? 
   
   
   
  In Shakespeare Without a Life, Margreta de Grazia looks at aspects of Shakespeare's reception between 1600 and 1800 that have been all but lost to the now still prevailing biographical impulse. It recovers the anecdote as a form of literary criticism, retrieves the ancient category of genre as the canon's organizing rubric, demonstrates how the quest for authentic documents invalidated other forms of literary record, and reveals how the desire to forge connections between Shakespeare's life and the Sonnets occluded his self-presentation as the 'deceasèd I' of a posthumous poet.

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